Surgical case cart

Abstract

A surgical case cart having a closed container supported on a chassis. The closed container includes a pair of front door panels hinged to side door panels which in turn are hinged to side wall sections, so that the container can be completely opened with the front and portions of the sides being exposed by the door panels wrapping around the side and back. The door panels are formed of single pan construction so as to avoid cracks and crevices, and yet exhibit rigidity of a double pan door construction. The lower edges of the door panels provide a baffle effect to reduce the movement of contaminated air into the cart. The top of the cart contains an overhang lip to prevent liquids from spilling into the container. Stem mounted casters are utilized to avoid flat horizontal surfaces on which dirt can collect. The intersection between the back, sides and chassis is constructed to avoid the possibility of collecting contamination and bacteria. A door latch is provided which indicates whether the contents of the cart are sterile or contaminated. Opening of the cart door panels nevetheless can be accomplished without the use of the operator's hands. The cart construction therefore provides improved sterility, greater accessibility, and brings about easier maintenance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cart comprising: a container having a back wall, side walls, a front wall and a top wall;   a chassis supporting said back wall and said side walls of said container;   said chassis including an upper base wall and downwardly depending skirt portions, said base wall extending horizontally along said back wall and between said side walls to provide a horizontally disposed bottom for said container;   at least one of said back wall and said side walls including a lower edge portion terminating in an inwardly directed sloping flange;   a free bottom edge of said flange abutting against an upper surface of said base wall at a location spaced inwardly from an adjacent peripheral edge of said base wall defined by an association one of said skirt portions; and   fastening means disposed along said flange edge to secure said flange to said base wall at said location.   
     
     
       2. A cart as in claim 1, wherein said flange is disposed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to said upper surface of said base wall. 
     
     
       3. A cart as in claim 1, wherein said back wall and said side walls are integrally constructed. 
     
     
       4. A cart as in claim 1, wherein said fastening means includes a continuous weld. 
     
     
       5. A cart as in claim 1, wherein each of said back wall and said side walls includes said lower edge portion terminating in said inwardly directed sloping flange. 
     
     
       6. A cart comprising: a container having a back wall, side walls, a front wall and a top wall;   a chassis supporting said back wall and said side walls of said container;   said chassis including an upper base wall and downwardly depending skirt portions, said base wall extending horizontally along said back wall and between said side walls to provide a horizontally disposed bottom for said container;   at least one of said back wall and said side walls including a lower edge portion having an inwardly directed sloping flange;   said flange terminating in an inwardly directed horizontally disposed lip;   a bottom surface of said lip abutting against an upper surface of said base wall at a location spaced inwardly from an adjacent peripheral edge of said base wall defined by an associated one of said skirt portions; and   fastening means disposed between said bottom surface of said lip and said upper surface of said base wall to secure said flange to said base wall at said location.   
     
     
       7. A cart as in claim 6, wherein said flange is disposed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to said inwardly directed horizontally disposed lip. 
     
     
       8. A cart as in claim 6, wherein said back wall and said side walls are integrally constructed. 
     
     
       9. A cart as in claim 6, wherein said fastening means includes spot welds. 
     
     
       10. A cart as in claim 9, wherein solder means are disposed along an edge of said lip for sealing said lip edge to said base wall. 
     
     
       11. A cart as in claim 6, wherein each of said back wall and said side walls includes said lower edge portion having said inwardly directed sloping flange. 
     
     
       12. A cart comprising: a container having a back wall, side walls, a front wall and a top wall;   one of said back wall and said side walls including a lower edge portion having a substantially 90 degree bend to extend in a horizontal direction to the other two of said back wall and said side walls to provide a horizontally disposed bottom for said container;   said bottom providing an upper base wall of a chassis for supporting said back wall and said side walls;   said chassis including downwardly depending skirt portions;   one of said skirt portions being a U-shaped channel disposed beneath said base wall, an upper horizontal leg of said U-shaped channel being directed inwardly, an upper surface of said upper horizontal leg abutting against a bottom surface of said base wall; and   fastening means disposed along a free edge of said upper horizontal leg to secure said U-shaped channel to said base wall to support said base wall.   
     
     
       13. A cart as in claim 12, wherein said back wall and said side walls are integrally constructed. 
     
     
       14. A cart as in claim 12, wherein said fastening means includes sport welds. 
     
     
       15. A cart as in claim 12, wherein said one of said back wall and said side walls is said back wall. 
     
     
       16. A cart as in claim 15, wherein each of said side walls includes a lower edge portion terminating in an inwardly directed sloping flange, a free bottom edge of flange abutting against an upper surface of said base wall at a location spaced inwardly from an adjacent peripheral edge of said base wall defined by an associated one of said skirt portions, and further fastening means disposed along said flange edge to secure said flange to said base wall at said location. 
     
     
       17. A cart as in claim 15, wherein each of said side walls includes a lower edge portion having an inwardly directed sloping flange, said flange terminating in an inwardly directed horizontally disposed lip, a bottom surface of said lip abutting against an upper surface of said base wall at a location spaced inwardly from an adjacent peripheral edge of said base wall defined by an associated one of said skirt portions, and further fastening means disposed between said bottom surface of said lip and said upper surface of said base wall to secure said flange to said base wall at said location.